Lawney L. Reyes - B Street: The Notorious Playground of Coulee Dam

I want to acknowledge the stories told to me by my dad, Julian, after I had grown up. They reinforced my memories of those early years. Harry Wong also shared stories about living in Grand Coulee. Much later, Dewey Hall told me of his adventures and good times when he worked and played there. The personal diary of my mother, Mary, imparted a wealth of information about B Street and the Inchelium area. These were given credence by talks with Edo Quill, my mother's best friend.

Most of the accounts of Luana, Pickles, and myself come from my memories of those days, which are still a part of me. My older cousin Eneas Boyd and his friend Antoine Paul substantiated these and related stories with their recollections.

Dennis King, a resident of Grand Coulee, helped in the early stages of this book. He showed me several photographs of the construction of the dam along with others of B Street in the early days. He took time to explain them to me. A number of these photographs appear in the book. Dennis shared stories he had heard about the dam. He told me about the last salmon runs, past the dam, that occurred in 1938 and introduced me to men who had worked on the dam and run businesses during that time. Some of these men still live in the Grand Coulee area.

Chuck Hall and his wife, Linda, provided other material. Chuck was the general foreman for Vinnell Construction Company, a subcontractor at the dam site. He was in charge of cleanup and concrete. Chuck shared important information about the construction of the dam, and Linda recalled life around Grand Coulee Center during the construction days. She informed me that she steered clear of B Street because of the things that went on there but shared her overall insight on Grand Coulee and the nightly activities on B Street.

Bill Miller, a resident of Electric City, voiced other memories. He was the foreman of mechanics for the Bureau of Reclamation. Bill was in charge of ordering supplies for all internal combustion engines, such as trucks, cranes, and forklifts. He shared information on the construction of the dam and talked about a number of his experiences on B Street.

Jean Nicholson, a Grand Coulee historian, provided a wealth of information on Grand Coulee Center and B Street. She had lived in the area and could remember what happened year by year. Jean has written articles about the Grand Coulee area. She was like a walking history book. Her husband, Jack, was a newspaper boy during those times and made deliveries to the Woo Dip restaurant. He offered other information about the ladies of the night and how he grew to value their kind treatment of him. Both Jean and Jack shared their recollections and encouraged me to write this book.

Trudi Tonasket, a teacher at the high school in Inchelium and a member of the Lakes (Sin-Aikst) Tribe, introduced me to the Ceremony of Tears. She also found important photographs of Inchelium that she shared with me, one showing the Columbia River rising. Two of these are in the book. This helped bring my stories full circle and provide a proper ending.

Important old photographs were given new life through the diligent and professional ability of Bob Morrisson. His editing and restoration of the photos are an essential part of this book. I wish to extend my gratitude to Bob for his valuable input.

Rod Hartman, a resident of Grand Coulee, provided information about the Roosevelt Theater in Grand Coulee when his father managed it. He explained that the theater provided entertainment to the residents of both Grand Coulee and B Street.

Therese Kennedy Johns deserves most of the credit for the completion of this book. She devoted days, weeks, and months that turned into years to the refinement of the manuscript. She aided me immensely with her advice, creativity, research, and fact finding. Therese was the initial editor of the work. This book is as much hers as it is mine.

I also want to thank University of Washington Press editors Marilyn Trueblood and Laura Iwasaki and designer Pamela Canell for their thoughtful help in producing this book.

Finally, I must express my appreciation to Naomi Pascal, former editor-in-chief of the University of Washington Press. Her meaningful and continued guidance directed me in finding my way.

LAWNEY L. REYES graduated from the University of Washington in 1959 after attending the Chemawa Indian School in Oregon. A former art director for the Seafirst Corporation and a member of the Seattle Arts Commission, he has won numerous awards, including a Peace and Friendship Award for contributions to American Indian Art, a Washington Governor's Award for sculpture, and a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Washington. He is the author of White Grizzly Bear's Legacy: Learning to Be Indian and Bernie Whitebear: An Urban Indian's Quest for Justice. He lives in Seattle.